We stocked up on brown rice last winter and stored it in a new galvanized trash can. Wrong thing to do! It ended up with mold looking stuff on the ends after just a few months and we lost half of it because of this.

Anyone know how to safely store a large supply of rice for months?

I seem to remember seeing rice in cotton bags, like flour used to be sold in, many years ago. Is that the way to go?

Carol in VA

-- Carol Mora (carollm@rockbridge.net), December 21, 2000

Answers

We first make sure it is good and dry, put it in the freezer for a good 48 hours (or buy it in the bitter cold like now) to pasturize it and make sure the bugs are killed if there are any. Then we put it in the big plastic food grade buckets with the good seals. I just used some out of a bucket that got pushed to the back of our storage room by accident that was dated 1992. The rice is fine. Some people even buy dry ice and put a hunk in the bucket to drive out the oxygen. I think that is how the big food storage people do it. hope that helps - diane in michigan oh, if you leave it in the bags it turns into bug food really fast in my experience.

-- Diane Green (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), December 21, 2000.

I stored 25# in a plastic bucket from the deli at the grocery store. don't like using plastic, but that's what I had.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), December 21, 2000.

I put mine in plastic bags I could handle & about the size of some portions we might use & then I put those plastic bags in a plastic trash cart with wheels & I stored all my beans, etc.,etc,etc.,--- that way also---then I go to my huge storage room & find the cart that has what I want inside & open up get it out & return the lid!!!!! We have had stuff stored this way for years-----Oh I forgot a friend told me to put spearment gum in the carts also-----sooo I did-don't know if it helped or not----but it all seems to be as nice as the day I put it in there-----I did the same thing & one cart didn't get labeled & it had sat there for about three years before I got back to it & the rice & beans were just as great in it also!!!!-- I like the plastic trash cans with wheels as then I can move them around---but I had a room plenty big enough to do that in----as there are about 10 or so carts in there plus the stackable storage bins I use also! Sonda in Ks.

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), December 21, 2000.

I've always read that brown rice won't keep very long unless it's frozen. The outer coating turns rancid. White rice, that has the outer cover removed, seems to keep indefinitely if it's kept cool and dry.

-- Peg (wildwoodfarms@hushmail.com), December 21, 2000.

The last 50 pounds of rice that we bought were stored in clean, dry popcorn tins (the kind that are so popular this time of year), that were brushed inside with melted parrifin. It was white rice. We put some bay leaves on top of the rice, and shut it tightly (the parrifin on the lid helped make the seal tighter. So far--and it has been about a year...no bugs yet!

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), December 21, 2000.

I have the same information as Peg on brown rice. We stored different kinds of white rice in ziplock bags and then in our rubbermaid conatiners. We have always kept a 5 month supply for religious reasons, Y2K just gave us the opportunity to expand. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), December 21, 2000.

I buy white rice in 50# sacks. Right now I have a couple in my clothes closet, which no longer contains any clothing! They are in those plastic coated feed sacks (came in them) and they are lasting quite a long time...about oh, 18 months now. Closet is on the north side, away from heat and humidity. If I don't get through them in the next 6 months, I'll probably put them in plastic buckets (of which I have many, believe me!!) I have heard that brown rice doesn't store well at all, so I guess you give up some nutrition for storage. (Don't forget to store soy sauce or teriyaki, too....or is there some other way to eat white rice??? :)

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), December 21, 2000.

Sheepish-----I make a lot of rice pudding----& rice salads---! Sonda in Ks.

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), December 21, 2000.

oh oh my my rice and brown gravey on enything cooked in a skillet. Bob in se.ks

-- Bobco (bobco@hit.net), December 21, 2000.

OOOH! I have to make some rice pudding now! YUM!

-- Bonnie (josabo1@juno.com), December 21, 2000.

I don't keep large quantities of brown rice because it does get rancid quickly. However, we have a Food Saver vacuum sealer that accomodates canning jars and I use half gallon jars to store rice, pasta and such. It smells the same as fresh when I open a jar and it's very easy to reseal. Another benefit is it's bug and mouse proof. We've had a terrible problem with mice this year, not only in the house but the outbuildings as well and the glass jars are saving our supplies from contamination.

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), December 21, 2000.

I store all of my dry goods in 5 gallon plastic buckets with diatamaceous earth mixed in thoroughly. I just rinse off the DE before cooking. You can buy what are called gamma lids that make getting in and out a breeze. I highly recommend having gamma lids on one bucket of each type of thing that you have and just refil those buckets. So far so good. Oh and when you are using DE just be sure not to breath the dust.

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), December 21, 2000.